Sunday, March 29, 2009

the weeKelly Clarkson’s “My Life Would Suck Without You” shot out of the starting blocks and raced to #1 in only four weeks, but it took the release of Kelly’s new album to get it back to #1. Kelly’s new album, “All I Ever Wanted” debuted at #1 last week. And after four weeks at #2, the debut single from that album is now in its third wee at the top. This is Kelly’s sixth #1 song but first since 2005 when she reached the top three times.

Flo Rida is going to give Kelly a good run next wek with “Right Round” featuring Ke$ha which moves from 3-2 this week. It becomes his second Top 2 hit. He is looking to make it his second #1 following his 2008 chart topper “Low” which is still on the pop chart at #67. The song samples the Top 10 hit from 1985, “You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)” by British group Dead Or Alive.

New York star Lady GaGa has the big mover within the Top 10 this week as she jumps from 7-4 with “Poker Face” to score her second Top 5 hit. It’s the follow up to her #1 debut single “Just Dance”. “Poker Face” is currently in its fourth week as the #1 dance song in the land. Lady GaGa also joins Colbie Caillat, Katy Perry and Leona Lewis as female stars who have watched their first two releases hit the Top 5 in the last year.

The Fray’s self-titled second LP has already hit #1. And the first single, “You Found Me”holds at #5 on the singles chart for a third week. It is also the Colorado band’s third Top 5 single. In 2006 they hit #4 with “Over My Head (Cable Car)” and #2 with “How To Save A Life”. “You Found Me” is also moving up the Top 20 Christian chart this week.

T.I. holds at #6 this week with “Dead And Gone” featuring Justin Timberlake. T.I. has now scored three Top 10 hits in a row with “Whatever You Like” which hit #3 last November and then “Live Your Life” featuring Rihanna which started 2009 at #1.

Two songs rocket into the Top 10 this week. Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em peaked at #8 in 2007 with “Crank That (Soulja Boy)”. Many thought the rapper was doomed to be a one-hit wonder, but he has proved us wrong by returning to the #8 position this week via a 5-notch jump with “Kiss Me Thru The Phone” featuring Sammie.

Also making a 5-notch move from 14-9 is Akon with “Beautiful” featuring Lil Wayne. This is Akon’s 12th appearance in the Top 10 since his debut in 2004. His lone trip to #1 came in 2007 when he was featured on Gwen Stefani’s “The Sweet Escape”.

There are two new songs in the Top 20 this week. The Black Eyed Peas who stormed in to the Top 40 last week with “Boom Boom Pow” at #24, have the second biggest mover in the Top 40 this week by leaping from 24-15 with “Boom Boom Pow”. The song will be released digitally on April 7 which will definitely propel the song into the Top 10 in a couple weeks if it doesn’t get there anyway next week.

Another superstar act has the other new Top 20 entry. Britney Spears is up from 22-18 with “If U Seek Amy”. The song has been the biggest mover on the survey the past two weeks and continues to move quickly. This is Britney’s 17th Top 40 hit. Her first was sitting at #3 ten years ago this week, “...Baby One More Time”.

This week’s biggest mover is “Blame It” by Jamie Foxx featuring T-Pain. It rockets from 38-25. The only song to make a bigger move within the Top 40 so far this year is the current #1 song, “My Life Would Suck Without You” by Kelly Clarkson which leaped from 24-9 on February 1.

Two songs debut in the Top 40 this week. AR Rahman and Pussycat Dolls are in at #38 with “Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny)” featuring Nicole Sherzinger. The song won the Oscar for best original song from a movie with its appearance in “Slumdog Millionaire” which has propelled it to this recent surge in popularity. Also bowing this week is “I Told You So” by Carrie Underwood featuring Randy Travis at #39. It’s hard to believe given all of Carrie’s success but this is only her second Top 40 pop hit.

Other chart information of note this week: Lots of big moves this week. Jesse McCartney nearly gets into the Top 10 with a 15-11 move with “How Do You Sleep?”. Ciara is up from 19-13 with “Love Sex Magic”. And Shinedown is up from 30-23 with “Second Chance”. Acts with three songs in the Top 40 this week: Britney Spears and Lil Wayne, “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz and “Let It Rock” by Kevin Rudolf featuring Lil Wayne tie for oldest song honors this week at 30 weeks. My iTunes new picks of the week:“Sin Frenos” by La Quinta Estacion“The Return Of The Jitney Man” by Branford Marsalis Quartet“Human (Gomi’s Human Rights Anthem)” by Ari Gold“Please Don’t Leave Me” by Pink

You can read Rock-It! plus see the week's top 100 songs plus much more on our website www.chaska.net/~songer

Saturday, March 28, 2009

I am glad to see that Kelly Clarkson is back to her 2005 sound that produced mega success. Although it's not a song we can probably do with our middle school garage bands, "My Life Would Suck Without You" is great. The energy, the trite honesty and the awesome 80s drum fill at the end is not musical genius but it is very fun and great to crank up in the car. The rest of the album "All I Ever Wanted" has some other hidden gems.

I've finally cleaned up my old blogs and developed some organization. This blog will be a regular spot to comment on new music in all genres. I will have weekly to monthly updates on new music that I think deserves recognition. I'd love to hear about new (or old) material you are listening to with an emphasis on more obscure or very new music that not everyone knows about. Also, if anyone is doing anything original that we should know about, throw it on. Happy blogging!

About Me

I'm originally from southeastern Wisconsin and did my undergrad at UW-Eau Claire. I currently reside in Chaska, Minnesota where I teach middle school music and perform in the Twin Cities area. I am married and have two kids: Caleb (8) and Abby (2)